The dim wall lamp disperses the darkness of the ward.

The bedding on the hospital bed had an arched outline, as if someone was sleeping soundly.

A piece of flowing water got into the ward through the gap under the door.

squeak - ah -

A long, weak sound slowly sounded as the door slowly opened.

At the edge of the dim light from the wall lamp, a vague afterimage moved close to the arched outline of the hospital bed.

And deep in the shadow where it passed, a silhouette quietly emerged, and the arm silently went around the neck of the residual image beside the bed, and suddenly tightened it.

Like pressing against a curtain blown by the wind, Lu Li's attack penetrated the afterimage, like a ball of clothes pulling away from its shackles and slipping out of the ward along the wet floor.

The bruises caused Lu Li, who was chasing after him, to slip on his feet. He staggered and rushed out of the ward, holding on to the door frame. However, silence and darkness had already enveloped the outside.

Before being swallowed by the deep darkness, Lu Li returned to the ward.

Why is it not afraid of the dark?

Uncomprehensible questions came to mind, and Lu Li returned to his disguised bed. It was unlikely that the "Remnants of the Drowned" would attack again, but Lu Li planned to continue vigil.

If the day passes faster when "idle", the night should do the same.

Lu Li's guess was not wrong. In his perception, only about a few dozen minutes had passed, and the ward, which was only dimly lit by wall lamps, was mixed with new hazy light.

Soon, Lu Li experienced his first sunrise in the hospital - although it was hidden behind layers of mist.

The wall light dimmed at this moment, and Lu Li stood up and walked towards the door.

A handyman mopped the floor backwards in the quiet corridor with his back to the ward.

The transition between night and dawn is also not a suitable time to explore the hospital.

"There is water on the floor of the ward."

Lu Li spoke when the handyman passed by the door of the ward.

The hooded cleaner paused, wrung out the mop, and passed Lu Li into the hospital.

While Lu Li was still thinking about whether the handyman was "in need of help", the cleaner had already wiped the floor tiles and walked out of the ward with his head lowered.

Watching the cleaner carrying the trailer and mop farther and farther away, Lu Li came out after the wet floor tiles had dried and came to Ward 208 again.

"Why is it you again..."

The disgusted gatekeeper drove Lu Li away: "Please get out, or I'll call the nurse."

"I just came to visit the Pig King."

The Pig King grunted in response to Lu Li's answer.

"Hmph——"

The gatekeeper stared at Lu Li with a cold and ugly expression.

"You still won't open up?"

On the surface, he was talking to the Pig King, but in reality, Lu Li was asking the gatekeeper. Because his attitude was not static - at least it was better than yesterday.

"I helped many patients. There was a roommate named Xiao Lina. She longed for sweets, so I found a lot of toffee for her." Lu Li narrated, and added some details: "There was also a roommate named Xiaolin. He longed for childhood.

After hearing the lullaby melody, I helped him find the complete lullaby..."

"The same goes for Gorou. He is being bullied by you, and I am helping him get rid of his bad luck."

This name made the gatekeeper even more gloomy, and he suddenly said: "Do you really want to help me?"

"I'll try."

Lu Li's answer was not convincing, but it made people feel at ease.

"From 0 to 6 o'clock tomorrow morning, guard the activity area for me." The gatekeeper took out a bunch of keys from under his cloak and threw them to Lu Li.

Just got the key to the activity area?

After receiving the key, Lu Li quickly made preparations: "How am I going to guard the activity area?"

"Stop patients who don't qualify but want to get in."

"That's it?"

"Unqualified patients may attack you because they want to get in." The gatekeeper's cold tone revealed mockery: "Don't you really like helping people? Then you must have a way to appease them."

"Or you can accept your failure."

"I agreed."

Lu Li put the key into his pocket.

He wanted to accept the commission because he could have access to the activity area. Even after agreeing, Lu Li asked for details: "How do I distinguish between patients who are not qualified?"

"observe."

The mocking face of the gatekeeper made people shudder, "If you let unqualified patients in... you will be punished horribly!"

"What punishment?"

The gatekeeper didn't answer, but waited grimly for Lu Li's joke - and he was completely asking for it.

Lu Li was thinking about something completely different. When he was about to leave the ward, the gatekeeper's voice sounded: "Are you stupid enough to leave like that?"

"Did I miss something?" Lu Li stopped and turned around.

The gatekeeper threw a guard uniform to Lu Li.

Lu Li realized that this was the key to not violating the hospital's rules.

After putting the guard uniform back in the ward and hiding it in the drawer of the bedside table, Lu Li continued to look for patients in need of help. He hoped that Ward 213, which he had not set foot in so far, could become a breakthrough, but the door was never opened.

When he returned, Lu Li found that dusk had arrived earlier than expected.

Because you didn't sleep all night?

Lu Li could only accept this. It was better to have half a day left than to disappear for a whole day. After sending the girl in the wheelchair back to the ward, he came to the ward of the unnamed lady.

"Do you want to divine your fate tonight?"

The nameless lady happily welcomed the guests, covered up the old and faded tarot cards, and let Lu Li pick one from them.

Lu Li randomly took out a Tarot card, and as he opened it, a crescent moon card with a human face appeared.

The nameless lady trembled suddenly, and then whispered: "Tonight you will survive or suffer bad luck, it depends on your choice..."

"Thank you. I hope you can spend this night sleeping or awake."

Only the rhyme remained in the dusk, and this time nightfall did not allow Lu Li to hide anymore.

He returned to Ward 204 at the last dusk, put on his guard uniform, and hung the bunch of keys on his belt. When night fell, the wall lamp illuminated faintly, he opened the door, and came to the corridor with echoing footsteps.

The guard uniform allowed Lu Li to walk at night. He did not immediately go to the activity area to keep watch. After observing the hanging curtains at the nurse's station, he walked along the dark and silent corridor to the other side.

206…207…208…

With gentle footsteps, Lu Li would pull the door handle every time he passed a ward. The doors were locked without exception until he turned the door of 209——

Click.

The doorknob was pressed.

Lu Li did not push the door open, but gently knocked on the door.

He also has to guard the gate in the activity area. If he "dies" here, he will be absent from work.

Knock knock knock——

After knocking on the door again, Lu Li opened a gap.

Gradually, the clear rustling sound spread to the corridor, and groups of worms ranging from arms to adults in size, like earthworms, were scattered in the ward.

Lu Li stayed in the corridor, did not enter the room, and was not surprised by this scene: "Do you need help?"

A worm living with the soil turned to Lu Li on the hospital bed. At this moment, Lu Li suddenly understood clearly what it meant - longing for land.

Lu Li thought of potted plants, but even the smallest worm couldn't knock himself into them.
Chapter completed!